1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is concerned with the field of dentistry and specifically with the field of disposable dental prophy cups designed to be coupled with dental prophy angles used for dental prophylaxis. The disposable dental prophy cup and prophy angle are used to clean both the surface and the surrounding tissue and gingival crevice of a patient's teeth.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Disposable dental prophy cups attached to disposable prophy angles for use in cleaning a patient's teeth are known in the field of dentistry. These prior art prophy cups are generally fabricated of a flexible compound and are coupled to the output shaft of a prophy angle, wherein the rotation of the prophy angle output shaft causes the prophy cup to rotate. In use, a dentist or assistant applies a cleaning compound to the surface of the prophy cup and cleans and polishes a patient's teeth by applying the rotating prophy cup to the patient's teeth and gums.
Prior art prophy cups often include ribs or webs extending inwardly from the cup's inner wall to mechanically remove plaque, stains, and other debris from the surface of the patient's teeth. While these internally extending ribs or webs effectively clean the surface of the teeth, they do not provide for cleansing of the gum and gingival crevice surrounding the teeth. The gingiva is the part of the gum tissue encircling the necks of teeth and the gingival crevice is the portion of the gingiva slightly below the surface of the gum line at the base of an erupted tooth. The dental profession has recently recognized that effective dental disease control requires removal of plaque, stain and microorganisms from both the teeth surface and the gums and gingival crevice surrounding the teeth. Thus, the prior art points out the need for an improved prophy cup with cleansing means for cleansing the gum and tissue of the gingival crevice of a tooth when the prophy cup is applied to a tooth and rotated by a prophy angle.